FOOT NOTES: Turning back the clock

By Andy SandrikFor The Record Herald

Friday

May 17, 2019 at 6:00 AM

Editor's note: You can read Andy Sandrik's "Foot Notes" every other Friday in The Record Herald. It will feature Sandrik's stories, as well as a round-up of how runners from Franklin and Washington counties perform on the race paths.

One of the realities in my life as a runner is that I’m not the fastest or most technically sound person out there. Quite the opposite, actually.

I’m a touch overweight and still dealing with lingering injuries dating back to high school football more than 15 years ago. I’m not getting any younger, either, as my wife and kids can attest to by the sounds I make when I rise from a chair.

There’s a really good chance that I’ll go my whole life without winning a race. And that’s OK, I don’t think running should solely be about trying to be better than the runner next to you.

But with that said, I want so badly to be the runner I was two, three years ago. THAT Andy could run a sub-9 mile pace without risk of a heart attack. He felt confident about the way he looked and could run 10 unsupported miles at the drop of a hat, no questions asked.

I’m not giving up.

One thing I’ve been striving for this week is to make the most of my miles and give max effort on the workouts that might make me feel uncomfortable.

My will was immediately put to the test on Monday morning when I was awakened at 5:10 a.m. by the sound of my alarm clock, as well as the rain pitter-pattering off the roof.

“Running is stupid,” I muttered as I rolled over in bed.

But when I closed my eyes, all I could see was the hashtag #NeverMissAMonday shining bright in my mind like a neon sign. After a few minutes of internal fighting, I dragged myself out the door.

It wasn’t exactly a fun five miles, with everything from my calves to my neck feeling stiff as a board, but at least the rain stepped aside to give way to the mist. When I finished, I felt a little bit beat up, but also happy that I took a positive step forward.

The next day was even harder. After work, I took myself through the gate in the backyard to the graveyard track to do something I’ve been avoiding for years: Interval training. For three miles, I alternated between jogging and sprinting laps.

This exercise gave me a newfound appreciation for the true hell that track athletes put themselves through. Intervals are not the same thing as traditional running. There is no enjoying the scenery or pondering life’s great mysteries. Instead you’re locked into tunnel vision, pushing hard with every step and reminding yourself to breathe, all while fighting back tears as you feel your legs being shredded to ribbons.

Again, this was more painful than enjoyable, except for the post-workout, when I gazed with happiness at the fast mile times I was able to produce.

Wednesday was another hard workout, but I used it as an opportunity to celebrate what I had accomplished on Monday and Tuesday. The goal of this run was simply to go hard for a few miles through town and see where the adventure takes me. I pushed forward with conviction and when I got to the fifth and final mile, I poured my heart and soul into nailing down one of those sub-9 miles I so deeply covet.

As I sit here typing on the couch, calves still throbbing, I feel proud of the effort I've put in this week. But If I'm to have any chance of catching up to yesteryear, it's going to take more than three days of work. It's going to take consistency, a better diet and a willingness to embrace punishment.

I'm willing to give it a shot. I know there's a good runner somewhere under this exterior. It's time to find him.

GLOBAL RUNNING DAY APPROACHES

Wednesday, June 5, is Global Running Day and the Appalachian Running Company plans on celebrating.

The ARC, based in Chambersburg and Carlisle, will be holding group runs and other special events to commemorate running's big day.

To learn more, check out ARC's Facebook page, or look them up at apprunco.com.

1 STEP BACK, 3 STEPS FORWARD

Battling through a laundry list setbacks -- from a torn hamstring attachment last Spring to a left femur stress fracture in August to pneumonia in January -- it's been a long road back for Laurie Dymond, Franklin County's 100-mile woman.

The good news for Chambersburg's Dymond, 53, is the light at the end tunnel seems within reach. Just weeks after posting a BQ time of 3:33:49 at the Gettysburg Marathon, Dymond found herself excelling at the event that three years ago put her into the USATF recordbooks: The Dawn to Dusk to Dawn 24-Hour Endurance Run in Sharon Hill.

Battling through driving rain, Dymond logged a soggy 100 miles in 20:47:53.

"It was very hot during the day and then it started to rain," Dymond said. "It literally poured all night long and everything was flooded. Everything was soaked."

Dymond added that she is currently recovering from the race and planning her next move.

While Dymond was shining on the track at Academy Park High School, two of Pennsylvania's bigger races were being held on opposite ends of the state: The Pittsburgh Marathon and Broad Street Run.

In Pittsburgh, Waynesboro's Clayton Smith set the Franklin-Washington County standard with his time of 3:30:47 in the marathon. He was chased by Shippensburg's Storm Fridinger (4:29:36), Jeremy Geisinger (4:31:30), Bethany Geisinger (4:31:30) and Ford Brooks (4:51:24), Chambersburg's Steven Fagert (4:49:39) and Christopher Murawski (5:00:49), and Hagerstown's Nicole Tritsch (4:50:12).

The top local time at the Pittsburgh Half was produced by Chambersburg's Bill Dann, who posted a 1:26:30 to lead a group of area runners that include Mercersburg's Rachel Mallory (1:48:01) and Elizabeth De Leon (1:49:46), Chambersburg's Alex Spore (1:51:09) and Lauren Fawcett (1:59:18), as well as Greencastle's Jared Glacken (1:54:23).

On the east side of the state, Shippensburg's Edward Surotchak blazed through the 10-mile Broad Street Run in 1:22:12 to lead a local group that included Mont Alto's Katelyn Staubs (1:36:30), Greencastle's Conni Miller (2:01:29), and Shippensburg's Ronald McCullough (2:04:02) and Nichole Kunkle (2:15:31).

For the runners back home, there was plenty to do, as we counted four races in Franklin County alone that drew a collective 249 runners.

The fastest time of the four races was posted by Chambersburg's Shannon Lehman at the Shalom Christian Academy 5K. The 37-year-old Lehman topped the 89-runner field with his time of 18:33 to finish ahead of Chambersburg's Jonathan Rotz (20:21) and Alecia Rotz (20:31). Alecia Rotz was the top female over Chambersburg's Jen Timmons (20:47) and 10-year-old Maya Lehman (24:08).

A Waynesboro runner, Corey Huber, was the top dog at the CASD Autism Awareness 5K. Huber posted a winning time of 21:41 over Chambersburg's Kevin Woy (21:50) and Erik Brown (23:57). The top female was Shippensburg's Kimberly Diehl (24:13) over Chambersburg's Jennifer Morris (24:37) and Newburg's Chelsye Dunlap (25:18).

The Cumberland Valley Animal Shelter 5K-9, a race that featured canine runners as well as humans, was conquered by Chambersburg's Anthony Cosentino in 19:48. He finished ahead of Hagerstown's Andy Mason (20:43) and Chambersburg's Sarah Boward (20:51), who was the top female over Hagerstown's Dani Mason (22:51) and Tracy Brown (25:41).

In Mercersburg, the MPMC 5-Miler drew 42 runners and was won in 31:29 by Willow Hill's Phil Warton over Pittsburgh's Zachary Best (34:01) and Chambersburg's Tim Fisler (34:08). The top female was Willow Hill's Ellen Strickler, who broke the tape in 34:15 to defeat Chambersburg's Cheryl Oyler (41:52) and Mercersburg's Alison Curwen (44:03).

As for the Antietam Brewery Beer Mile, Hagerstown's Brandon Mauck finished as the runner-up in 9:43. Mauck was followed by Hagerstown's Doug Hornbecker (10:30) and McDonald (10:51), and Keedysville's Gary Baker (10:59).

And now, a look ahead:

Mad Anthony's Run Thru the Park 10K: Saturday, 9 a.m., in Waynesboro. Race-day registration is available for this event, which runs through historic downtown Waynesboro and scenic local parks. Afterward, check out the Brewmaster Beer Festival. Find more info at waynesbororunning.com.

Go Girls Go 5K: Saturday, 9 a.m., in Chambersburg. All are welcome to run this race, which celebrates the accomplishments of those involved in Franklin County's Go Girls Go program, an afterschool girls' empowerment and running program. Look up the race on timberhilltiming.com.

York Marathon: Sunday, 6 a.m., in York. This sold-out event will begin on York's city streets and continue through York County Heritage Rail Trail. Find the race on timberhilltiming.com.

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